The US is convincing Germany to hand over Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine
The United States is urging Germany to hand over Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has arrived in Germany where he is meeting his newly appointed German counterpart Boris Pistorius in Berlin ahead of a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group to be held at the Ramstein Air Base later this week. American officials believe that Russia is preparing for a spring offensive in Ukraine.
Countries supporting Ukraine seek to provide the country with what it will need to confront the Russian offensive and recapture the temporarily occupied territories. These supplies, in particular, include air defense and artillery. The US Department of Defense noted that in total, allies and partners provided Ukraine with about 900 armored vehicles.
"However, what's really important at this point is providing Ukraine with armor capabilities, and in particular, maneuver armor capabilities," a senior US defense official shared.
Leopard 2A4 tank. Photo from open sources
According to the American side, the most immediately accessible and usable tank is the German Leopard 2. A number of European countries, specifically Poland and Finland, have previously publicly stated that they are ready to provide Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
Leopard 2 tank of the Polish military.
Photo from open sources
However, to do this, they need permission from Germany as the manufacturing country for these tanks. One of the focuses of the US Secretary of Defense during his visit to Germany will be to work on "unlocking that decision," the American official mentioned.
Leopard 2A4 tank of the Finnish military.
2005, Finland. Photo credits: Bron Pancerna
The United States hopes to make progress on this issue during negotiations in Berlin, and at a meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine at the Ramstein Air Base. The Pentagon mentioned that "10 countries and their number will grow" will hold a session on the sidelines of the contact group meeting, focusing, in particular, on delivering the Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
Amid this, Western media reported that Germany would not agree to provide its tanks to Ukraine until the United States provided its Abrams tanks.
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